Discrepancies, such as foreign object debris, can present an expensive and challenging issue during the repair or manufacture of composite structures (e.g., aircraft skin). Failure to detect and remove a discrepancy can result in a decrease in the structural integrity of the composite structures. Furthermore, if discrepancies are not detected early enough in the composite structure manufacturing process, the resulting composite structures may be disposed, repaired or, in some cases, approved through engineering analysis and qualification. Each option can be costly.
Furthermore, some discrepancies may be minute in size or near a bond line, which can result in a detection failure. Failure to timely detect these discrepancies may result in significant damage to the structure, which may be costly to repair. As such, there exists a need to detect and remove the discrepancies as soon as they become attached to the composite structures.
Current methods of discrepancy detection include human or visual based detection systems, which are frequently subject to error. Computerized detection systems have been employed to detect discrepancies via acoustic, laser-based, magnetic, RFID, GPS, and motion capture-based systems. However, such systems typically only work on a stationary target object, and cannot successfully point out discrepancies on moving objects, such as a rotating aircraft fuselage during the manufacture process.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a local positioning-based system that is capable of tracking a target object, determining the positions of discrepancies on the target object, and accurately indicating those discrepancies at a later time, even when the target object has moved.